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played by Hoffa, and kept urging Allen to drop her from the show. Allen ignored these requests for as long as he could, then finally—in an angry outburst at a sales meeting—told the executive that the broadcasts were bearable only due to Hoffa's presence, and that if she were removed from the program then Allen would quit.
322:
Although Hoffa performed under her real name on her husband's show, the character she portrayed as "Portland Hoffa" in the radio broadcasts was not Allen's wife; instead, she depicted an enthusiastic girl of indeterminate age, around thirteen years old. One of Allen's sponsors loathed the character
303:
A frequent performer opposite Allen, Hoffa became familiar for her distinctive high-pitched voice, her brief routines involving jokes bounced off or from her mother, and, later, strolling Allen's Alley with her husband, after asking him what his question of the week for the Alley denizens would be.
223:
to
Frederick Hoffa and Mary Hoffa (née Keesey). As with most of her other siblings, including sister Lebanon and brother Harlem, she was named after the city in which she was born. Additionally, she had two younger sisters, Lastone and Doctor Fredericka known as Fredericka. Her father, an itinerant
197:
Allen hosted several highly successful network radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s, in which Hoffa was a frequent participant. She remained married to him until his death in 1956, after which she married bandleader Joe Rines. Rines later worked as an advertising executive. Hoffa helped compile her
194:. They were married in 1927, and Hoffa began performing characters with Allen in comic radio programs, often portraying a dimwitted female counterpart in fast-paced, witty skits. She gained particular notice from audiences for her distinctive, high-pitched voice.
946:, Manhattan Assembly District 19, New York, New York, United States; citing ED 1334, sheet 9A, line 41, family 224, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1221; FHL microfilm 1,821,221.
368:, allowing Hoffa an unusual second such anniversary in one lifetime. In 1965, she compiled a large volume of her first husband's correspondence, which was edited into and published as
1497:
1144:
861:
364:
Allen died in 1956. In 1959, Hoffa married bandleader Joe Rines, who later worked as an advertising executive. Hoffa and Rines lived long enough to celebrate a
1477:
1110:
384:
on
December 26, 1990, aged 85. She was survived by her two younger sisters, Lastone Hershkowitz of New York and Los Angeles, and Frederika Bond of
292:
in 1922 and joined him in his vaudeville routines (centered on his clever jokes spun off his weakness as a juggler). The couple married in 1927 at
801:
as her birthplace, as well as 1920 U.S. Census
Records from when she resided with her family in New York City, that list her birthplace as Oregon.
393:
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326:
Allen's declining health was the main reason he ceased hosting his own show after 1949, but Hoffa often joined him as a semi-regular on
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1066:
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1517:
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342:, on which Allen had become a panelist from 1954 until his death in early 1956. Hoffa and Allen had also appeared in such films as
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1303:
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Warner, Sam Bass Jr. (2004). "Introduction: O'Connor's Boston". In O'Connor, Thomas; O'Toole, James; Quigley, James (eds.).
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182:, radio host, actress, and dancer. The daughter of an itinerant optometrist, she was named after
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in
Manhattan before Allen began his long-running radio work in 1932. Because Allen was a devout
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186:, the city in which she was born. She began her career performing as a dancer in numerous
8:
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336:(1950–52). She also appeared as the "mystery guest" on one episode of television's
1211:
Radio Stars: An
Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960
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248:. By the time Hoffa was 15 years old, she and her family had relocated to
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921:. Massillon, Ohio. Central Press. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
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A 1960s Radio
Broadcast Addition: Chase and Sandborn 101st Anniversary
304:
Allen himself likened Hoffa's voice to "two slate pencils mating or a
253:
225:
190:
productions in the 1920s, before meeting her first husband, comedian
1185:
305:
179:
797:, but this is disputed by several bibliographic sources that cite
233:
985:"Portland, Lebanon, Harlem, Lastone and Doctor Fredericka Hoffa"
380:
Twice widowed and childless, Hoffa died of natural causes in
178:(January 25, 1905 – December 26, 1990) was an American
793:
Some news sources erroneously state that Hoffa was born in
241:
893:
891:
815:
1334:
Boston's
Histories: Essays in Honor of Thomas H. O'Connor
1018:. March 19, 1956. p. 345 – via Newspapers.com.
300:, Hoffa converted to Catholicism before the two married.
1498:
Burials at Gate of Heaven
Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York)
1336:. Boston: Northeastern University Press. pp. 3–13.
876:
1022:
888:
198:
first husband's correspondence, which was published as
1260:(2nd ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.
1230:
Jack Benny and the Golden Age of
American Radio Comedy
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1034:
967:
965:
1296:
Encyclopedia of
Unaired Television Pilots, 1945–2018
1081:
827:
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259:
1258:Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films
1249:Vaudeville: From the Honky-tonks to the Palace
1227:
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1315:Funny Women: American Comediennes, 1860–1985
1279:. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company.
1232:. Berkeley: University of California Press.
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276:In New York, Hoffa performed as a dancer in
1406:Portland Hoffa Radio Career with Fred Allen
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852:"Portland Hoffa Dies; Fred Allen's Partner"
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944:Portland Hoffa in household of Frank Hoffa
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388:. She is interred with her first husband
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1317:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.
1298:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.
1213:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.
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913:Van Raalte, Joseph (January 11, 1930).
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149: 1959; died 1986)
128: 1927; died 1956)
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1277:Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism
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1147:from the original on April 29, 2020.
1113:from the original on April 29, 2020.
864:from the original on January 4, 2013
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219:Hoffa was born January 25, 1905, in
1395:(New York: Flare Books/Avon, 1972).
1358:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
1069:from the original on April 29, 2020
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236:descent, while her mother was from
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1393:The Big Broadcast: 1920–1950
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506:Episode: "Treadmill to Oblivion"
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1513:20th-century American actresses
1468:Actresses from Portland, Oregon
1228:Fuller-Seeley, Kathryn (2017).
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1503:Converts to Roman Catholicism
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202:in 1965. She died in 1990 in
1391:Frank Buxton and Bill Owen,
942:United States Census, 1920.
318:Press photo of Hoffa in 1940
260:1922–1956: Performing career
206:of natural causes, aged 85.
16:American actress (1905–1990)
7:
284:stage productions, and met
10:
1544:
1424:Internet Broadway Database
1209:DeLong, Thomas A. (1996).
1201:
1163:Internet Broadway Database
637:Century Promenade Theatre
400:. Hoffa has a star on the
366:silver wedding anniversary
1313:Unterbrink, Mary (1987).
1294:Terrace, Vincent (2018).
1137:"Omnibus, III No. 1 (TV)"
1101:"Is Everybody Listening?"
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1493:American Roman Catholics
1488:American women comedians
1483:American radio actresses
1463:Actresses from Manhattan
1275:Poupard, Dennis (2000).
1247:Laurie, Joe Jr. (1953).
780:
669:The Passing Show of 1922
375:
1256:Pitts, Michael (2012).
1251:. New York: Henry Holt.
1065:. Hollywood Star Walk.
919:The Evening Independent
726:George White's Scandals
486:Unaired gameshow pilot
461:Is Everybody Listening?
394:Gate of Heaven Cemetery
344:Is Everybody Listening?
330:'s radio variety show,
1352:Wertheim, Arthur Frank
1141:Paley Center for Media
676:Winter Garden Theatre
443:Buck Benny Rides Again
402:Hollywood Walk of Fame
386:Bellingham, Washington
372:. Rines died in 1986.
360:1957–1990: Later years
353:Buck Benny Rides Again
319:
273:
1523:Comedians from Oregon
1010:"TV Memorial Forgone"
860:. December 30, 1990.
659:Winter Garden Theatre
526:Season 6, episode 25
317:
267:
252:and were residing in
215:1905–1921: Early life
370:Fred Allen's Letters
294:St. Malachy's Church
288:while performing in
200:Fred Allen's Letters
1015:New York Daily News
885:, pp. 131–132.
697:44th Street Theatre
584:The Fred Allen Show
398:Hawthorne, New York
311:calling for help."
857:The New York Times
822:Fuller-Seeley 2017
320:
274:
228:, was a native of
76:, California, U.S.
1382:Much Ado About Me
1365:978-0-195-02481-4
1343:978-1-555-53582-7
1324:978-0-899-50226-7
1305:978-1-476-67206-9
1286:978-0-787-62739-3
1267:978-1-476-60090-1
1239:978-0-520-29504-9
1220:978-0-7864-2834-2
1062:Los Angeles Times
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468:Documentary film
328:Tallulah Bankhead
240:. Her father was
173:
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764:Three's a Crowd
754:Apollo Theatre
746:The Little Show
693:Shubert Theatre
640:
630:The Mimic World
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589:Series regular
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518:What's My Line?
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346:(1947) and the
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991:. 2015-01-28
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321:
302:
289:
275:
246:Presbyterian
238:Pennsylvania
218:
199:
196:
175:
174:
68:(1990-12-26)
1458:1990 deaths
1453:1905 births
972:Warner 2004
883:DeLong 1996
834:Laurie 1953
412:Filmography
406:Vine Street
382:Los Angeles
226:optometrist
204:Los Angeles
82:Occupations
74:Los Angeles
1447:Categories
1088:Pitts 2012
995:2021-11-10
809:References
769:Performer
759:1930–1931
751:Performer
741:1929–1930
731:Performer
721:1926–1927
711:Performer
689:Performer
673:Performer
655:Performer
634:Performer
579:1932–1949
390:Fred Allen
348:Jack Benny
286:Fred Allen
278:vaudeville
270:Fred Allen
268:Hoffa and
192:Fred Allen
114:Fred Allen
97:radio host
47:1905-01-25
1384:(Boston:
1073:April 29,
989:Nameberry
868:April 29,
254:Manhattan
160:Signature
136:Joe Rines
1388:, 1956).
1354:(1979).
1191:Archived
1186:Playbill
1167:Archived
1145:Archived
1111:Archived
1067:Archived
862:Archived
685:Marjorie
541:Herself
523:Herself
503:Herself
483:Herself
465:Herself
404:at 1640
356:(1940).
350:vehicle
306:clarinet
282:Broadway
188:Broadway
180:comedian
91:comedian
1422:at the
1202:Sources
498:Omnibus
392:at the
272:in 1941
151:
143:
139:
130:
122:
118:
105:Spouses
88:Actress
1362:
1340:
1321:
1302:
1283:
1264:
1236:
1217:
616:Notes
610:Title
569:Notes
563:Title
428:Notes
422:Title
242:Jewish
234:German
94:dancer
57:, U.S.
781:Notes
703:1925
681:1924
665:1922
645:1922
626:1921
613:Role
607:Year
566:Role
560:Year
533:1965
513:1955
493:1954
475:1954
457:1947
438:1940
425:Role
419:Year
376:Death
145:(
141:
124:(
120:
1415:IMDb
1360:ISBN
1338:ISBN
1319:ISBN
1300:ISBN
1281:ISBN
1262:ISBN
1234:ISBN
1215:ISBN
1075:2020
870:2020
620:Ref.
573:Ref.
432:Ref.
309:reed
280:and
63:Died
41:Born
1436:at
1413:at
396:in
232:of
1449::
1189:.
1183:.
1165:.
1161:.
1143:.
1139:.
1109:.
1103:.
1059:.
1048:^
1012:.
987:.
964:^
927:^
917:.
905:^
890:^
854:.
841:^
695:;
408:.
256:.
147:m.
126:m.
1368:.
1346:.
1327:.
1308:.
1289:.
1270:.
1242:.
1223:.
1077:.
998:.
872:.
49:)
45:(
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